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Goodwood 4:00, 6f Group 2 (C&G) (1), "Richmond Stakes" |
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| Horse | SP | [EST] | Run | Wnr | Trainer | Dw | Hf | Run Notes | ||||
| 1 | Libranno | 1.25 | 80 | 3 | g | R. Hannon | 1 | Drift 6/5, BkWL RL, Ld Erl & Swc Cent-Stds, Cmf Ld, IncrrPc Hf, LoB, Eff-1.5f, ko, 1.5Clr-1f, Resp-0.5f, PO to Ln | ||||
| 2 | The Paddyman | 4 | 73 | 3 | m | W. J. Haggas | 6 | Supp 11/2, BOk Wdst, Eff Erl & Prg to 2nd Sttld, Ngl-2f+, Eff-2f Resp, PO, Resp-1f, Po Lt | ||||
| 3 | Roayh | 9 | 69 | 5 | m/D | S. B. Suroor | 3 | BOk PSAwk Hld, H-2 Erl Drop Back, TvOk-2f+, Eff-2f TTR, Po-1.5f, Resp-1f & PO, 3rd-0.5f, Stall Lt | ||||
| 4 | The Long Game | 20 | 63 | 3 | m | B. J. Meehan | 4 | BOk P-1 SInx, Ngl Erl TTR Drop Last, Ngl+1f, Eff-2f, Po ins-2f, po-0.5f+, Stall ins-0.5f | ||||
| 5 | Satin Love | 7 | 61 | 2 | m | M. Johnston | 5 | Supp 10/1, BOk Wd, Eff Erl & 2nd Rank Sttld, Ngl+1f, SInx+2f Ngl, SOutpcd-2f, Po-1.5f, po ins-1f, Stall ins-0.5f | ||||
| 6 | Marine Commando | 4.5 | 60 | 3 | l | R. A. Fahey | 2 | Drift 10/3, Fizzy Prelims, BOk, Hld Erl SFre, FFH for 1f, 2nd+1f Hld, Fre+2.5f & Hld, Dv-2f+ SOutpcd, Po-1.5f, po ins-1f | ||||
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Stalls stands rail. Libranno led early and took field across to Centre-Stands strip early and drifted right in last 3F to the Centre-Far Side strip. Libranno allowed a lead and 1.5 clear early and maintained roughtly that lead over The Paddyman throughout the race. Interesting race in that Libranno set a stiff pace and gradually wound the pace up after halfway. This put pressure on the others and made the race look like a Southwell 'Time Trial'. As the pace told you could watch the runners, in order, go through the stages of feeling the pressure. Jockeys starting to niggle along (horse coming 'off the bridle'), then the full driving along. The horse making whatever effort it can to stay with the pace and then cracking in the later stages as the effort peters out and going through the stalling stage to full fade. Applying the pressure gradually after halfway meant that only MC into full fade by the line. As the pace wound up after halfway the runners progressively came off the bridle with the first 3 home the last three off and in the reverse order they finished in. Libranno able to wind up the pace without Hughes doing anything visible although he was presumably squeezing the horse along with hands and legs. Able to delay asking for final effort (with others already driven along so Libranno 'LoB' = Last Off Bridle) until 1.5f out and strong effort to the finish. Hughes said afterwards that the horse was naturally fast so they used that pace to lead. He said the high cruising speed meant he put other horses under pressure and would usually break them. A good description of how this race played out. In line with Hughes' obsession with horses not running too freely he said it was a balance with a horse like Libranno between stiff, settled, pacemaking and running away. He had been worried in early race because Goodwood has a downhill section and this can push horses on to much. He had just managed to keep Libranno settled here. Interesting to hear him say afer the race that he thought Libranno was a sprinter and would probably not stay a mile. Last year after Canford Cliffs had run the Coventry field off their feet with a fornt running effort like this he was very clear that the horse would be better held-up and was a miler. That has clearly proved correct but a good question would be what Hughes is feeling from the horses that makes him come to those different conclusions? Another good question would be what Libranno was doing as 25/1 second string for his debut win? He got an easy lead that day from a set of jockeys told to hold theirs' up and front ran down a preferred rail. Perhaps that set-up allowed him to show something they had not seen at home. Which would fit in with Hughes not seeing him as a hold-up miler. Trainer Haggas does not tend to run many horses in Group races but has a modest strike rate with those he does. The small number he runs tend to be for major owners and will often run in more than one Group event even though already proven as a midfield type finisher at that level. These type can be the OR88-92 longer term types that can look competitive in early sprint Group races on precociousness. Until Approve won a Group race earlier this season his only juvenile Group race wins since the start of 2005 came in 2006 from Conquest & Enticing. Both of those were Group quality as older horses and not the precocious try-ons. The Paddyman perhaps and intermediate one between somewhere between the OR88-90s & the older Group Quality. Perhaps more towards the upper end. Roayh given a hold up ride with Dettori hoping to be in a position to come through and pick up the pieces if a frantic pace broke the race up. Travelled third best to 2f out and got pact the three who were already under more pressure than him. Solid effort but seeming to confirm he is a Group placer when things go right for him and not a lot of scope. Godolphin ought to have something better and he is doing duty as the best that is ready. His efforts since a third in the Coventry have added to the evidence of that event being over-rated. Getting sucked in by race titles and classifications is a very hard failing to break out of. Even if you know that there are far more ways to 'Lose' than to 'Win'. Marine Commando fizzy in the prelims and taking slowly to post. Ran too freely in the race and always likely to be the worst fader on that. Trainer Fahey is in the process of improving his juvenile string in size and quality in a process that has improved each year recently. But, getting his strong debut runners to progress in performance and to peak to run well in later Listed+ events has not been a strong point. If you look at his record since the start of 2005 then Marine Commando's win at Royal Ascot was his first Listed level win in that period. He has not had a Group winner. Look at 2009 and Rose Blossom, She's A Character & Flying Statesman had seven runs in Group races without managing a place. Developing the horses and putting them in the right Group races at their peak still an area Fahey could learn a lot from the Hannons about. |